“A doctor treats a patient while drunk or on drugs, or withholds treatment because of a bias against a patient or a class of patients. Or knowingly recommends treatment the patient doesn’t need.

“That’s gross negligence. That’s malpractice.”

Kramer pushed off from the lectern and approached the jury, pacing before the railing as he spoke to them.

“It’s terrible what happened to the people cited in this action. I don’t have to tell you that. You know it already.

“But in every one of the situations you’ve heard about in this courtroom, doctors and nurses, and even the patients themselves, made the kind of errors that happen in hospitals all across this country, every day.

“Human errors. Honest mistakes.

“As much as we’d like to believe that doctors are infallible, that’s an unreasonable expectation.

“Doctors and nurses are human beings who want to help other people and try their damnedest to do it.

“Last year one hundred and fifty thousand patients came through Municipal Hospital’s doors with injuries and illnesses. And they received excellent medical care, as good as they would get at any hospital in this city.

“I’m asking you to strip away my opponent’s inflammatory rhetoric and focus on the difference between mistakes and malpractice, and find in favor of Municipal Hospital.

“The city of San Francisco, our city, needs this hospital.”

Chapter 107

Chapter 107

YUKI STOOD WITH CINDY in the corridor outside of courtroom 4A, their backs against the cold marble wall as the courtroom emptied.

Cindy was excited, the reporter in her pumped up, asking, “So, what did you think?”

A group of lawyers for the defense and hospital execs passed by, talking about the trial. An old fox in gray tweed was saying, “Thank God for Kramer. Great recovery on his part. That guy’s a superstar.”

Almost on their heels, O’Mara and her retinue proudly strode down the hallway. O’Mara’s face was impassive as she reached the elevator, the door opening as if it had been expecting her.

“Yuki?” Cindy asked again. “Your professional opinion. How do you think the jury’s going to decide?”

Yuki heard the anxiety in Cindy’s voice, saw her tracking the lawyers with her eyes, and knew that Cindy wanted to get into the action on the courthouse steps.

“Both sides did extremely well, made a hell of a case,” Yuki said. “You know, there’s no ‘reasonable doubt’ in a civil case. They’re usually decided on a ‘preponderance of evidence.’ So each juror will have their own definition of pre —”

“You can’t even guess?”

“It’s a coin toss, Cindy. The jury could even hang.”

Cindy thanked her, said she’d catch up with her later, then made for the stairs, running.

Yuki waited for the next elevator, got in, and watched the numbers light from four to one.